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Thank you for joining us on this 7-day journey as we #putGodfirst. The next 7-days are simple, we are going to get up early or before going to bed and read, apply, and pray. ItĘźs not the amount of time but, putting God first deals with when we spend that time. These 15 minutes are crucial. To get started we need a few things.
Bible Journal Pen Time & Place
Day 01
Day 02
Day 03
Day 05
Day 06
Day 07
Day 04
The right motive gets the right reward
Letʼs read ““Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.” Matthew 6:1-4 NLT
Letʼs chat In 2020, everyone wants recognition. Just look at the number of influencers on your social media - everyone has a cause. It’s not a bad thing, but is it a good thing? Jesus is speaking to us and asking, “Is your motivation for recognition or is it to serve God?” Letʼs pray God, help me to live for your reward. May the good I do be my gift to you. Forgive me for doing good things for the wrong reason. God, I want your attention and I want my life to be pleasing to you. Help my private life and public life model after the life of Jesus. Let every good thing I do be pleasing to you.
#putGodfirst
Letʼs read
God knows what you need
““When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!” Matthew 6:5-8 NLT
#putGodfirst
Letʼs chat
Letʼs pray
On rare occasions we make friends with someone who just “gets” us. We repeat each other’s sentences and we can have non-awkward silences. Have you considered that we all have a friend just like that? God is that friend. Bonus: He is always available and knows what we need before we ask! Jesus wants us closer to the reality that we don’t need to ask or talk so much. Instead, we can just listen, because the power of prayer is in the Creator of the universe. Today, let’s keep it simple and go to God with few words and be ready to listen.
God, I come with just a few words today. I lay out my cares and needs before you, trusting you to take care of me in your own way. I just want to spend time with you and listen to what you have to say to me today. Lead me, God. Your help is essential in my life.
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The Essentials
DAY 03
#putGodfirst
Letʼs read “Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need...Matthew 6:9-11 Letʼs chat In this passage, Jesus teaches how to relate to God when we pray. He focuses on who God is. To do this effectively, we need to know who and what God is not. God is not a genie. He is not a man nor a spiritual police officer. He is a God who is a loving, truthful and holy Father. Let us pray accordingly. Letʼs pray God, you are my Father. Forgive me for not approaching you with honor, like a Father deserves. Holy Spirit, lead me to live a life dedicated to seeing your purpose and power in my life, relationships and areas of influence. God, I prioritize your plans and let go of my agenda. You are a great Father, who provides for your children. I recommit my life to you, putting all my hope and trust in you.
Forgiveness and Temptation Letʼs read Forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.” ““If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Matthew 6:12-15 NLT
Letʼs chat Jesus reminds us of how powerful God’s undeserved and unearned grace is. God is quick to forgive and places a reasonable expectation on us to forgive others as we have been forgiven. When we harbor hurt and refuse to partner with God in the process of forgiving someone, then we hold grace hostage. This creates a void in our spirit, preventing us from receiving God’s forgiveness. Note: We understand forgiving someone is difficult, especially when we have been unjustly wronged. However, this is why we need to pray and incorporate God’s help.
Letʼs pray God, thank you for your grace to forgive me of my past, present and future brokenness. I need your help in passing that same love on to others. Holy Spirit, reveal to me any areas of my heart where I feel hurt, whether I have received or caused the pain. Lord, I surrender that pain to you and any lie I may have inherited from it. Father, I recieve your forgiveness and I pass it on to anyone and everyone that has wronged me.
Less is more
LetĘźs Read ""And when you fast, don't make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. "Don't store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there, the desires of your heart will also be." Matthew 6:16-21 NLT
LetĘźs chat Fasting is an incredible tool to remove a temporal perspective. Jesus is reminding His followers again to put God first and keep Him there. Jesus is teaching us that our value does not come from the treasures we possess on earth, but who posses our heart in heaven. Today what if you align yourself to that reality. Jesus shows us how to put God first through fasting. What if you fasted a meal or a day? God calls us to live a full life with less. What temporary desires need to be minimized or removed from our lives? LetĘźs pray God, help me to prioritize what you deem valuable. Help me to live for more than the here and now, but things that make it into heaven. I want to live for the eternal; I want to be used by you to affect those around me. God show me how to live a full life with less.
Turn on the lights
Letʼs Read ""Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!" Matthew 6:22-23 NLT
Letʼs chat Jesus is teaching His disciples that the smallest things our eyes can affect more significant essential items, like our body. Jesus is teaching that if our spiritual vision is dim, disease and darkness will spread to every area of our lives. How do you determine what sin is? Sin is all around, and sometimes we have become so acceptable of the things that grieve, offend, or directly reject God. Let's #putGodfirst, and we may need to reject a perspective or our interpretation of what is right.
DAY 06 Letʼs pray God, I want to see like you see, open my eyes to sin in my life. If there is anything I have become comfortable with that offends, you show me. Show me through your word, open my eyes to your truth. Convict me, and make my sight healthy again. I repent for allowing compromise in my life, help me walk in your truth and light.
The remedy for worry
Letʟs read "No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money. "That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn't life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren't you far more valuable to him than they are? "And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don't work or make their clothing, yet Solomon, in all his glory, was not dressed
as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? "So don't worry about these things, saying, 'What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?' These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, live righteously, and give you everything you need. "So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today." Matthew 6:24-26, 28-34 NLT
#putGodfirst
LetĘźs chat What better way to conclude this week than dealing with worry. I struggle with anxiety, it affects me more than I am willing to admit, and when I review these verses, I am reminded how little my faith can be. If you're anything like me, I get fixated on what's next.
"What are we eating today?" "Anyone want a drink?" "there's a sale," "I need that,"
and the list goes on and on about me worrying about what I "need." This consuming force affects us all. We regularly dress up our wants with terms like "I need." The gap between what we want and what we have creates worry or anxiety if we are continually pursuing those things void of God's presence and purposes. We commit idolatry when we put passions, swagger, comfort, credit cards, entertainment above God. It's the last day I can't let you off easy. In order to truly put God first we must deny all other masters and follow Jesus and His way of life.
LetĘźs pray God teach me how to walk like Jesus, and trust you. You are my source and provider, I put your first in my finances and decisions. You're a good father, and you take care of your kids. Forgive me for doubting what you are capable of doing. I have needs and wants, I ask that You provide for my family and me. Today I walk in the courage and comfort that God is with me, why should I worry.
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